January 4, 2023, marked the historic date when we transitioned as a standalone independent company after more than 130 years within the GE family.

Rising to the challenge of building a world that works and of paving the path to a more inclusive, resilient and accessible healthcare system, we look to the game-changing innovations in digital technologies to help us create a world where healthcare has no limits. Precision care innovations that address critical patient and clinical challenges and bring more value to clinicians and patients worldwide will continue to drive our growth. As a global leader in precision care, our focus will be on enabling clinicians to make faster, more informed decisions through intelligent devices, data analytics, applications, and services. 

GE HealthCare has been a partner to the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENEAT) region for more than 50 years now. We have addressed some of the unique healthcare challenges of the region through integrated strategies that have led to significant improvements in healthcare standards, clinical diagnosis, and patient outcomes. 

As an independently run company, GE HealthCare is better positioned to deliver long-term growth and spur transformational change to support the region’s overall healthcare delivery. Our deeper operational focus gives us greater agility in implementing next-generation hospital solutions to improve healthcare efficiencies and meet the diverse needs of the region.

Deep focus on the MENEAT region

In key markets like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkey, and Egypt, GE HealthCare is expanding its broad range of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning systems and devices to revamp existing hospital practices and accelerate diagnostics and treatment. Our Edison platform, for instance, is providing intelligent solutions to streamline clinician workflows in healthcare facilities in these countries and enable better patient care. 

In August last year, we partnered with Egypt’s e-Health to explore the applications of the Edison ecosystem via cloud hosting for cancer screening, early detection, and diagnostics to enhance treatment in the country and the wider region. This partnership encompasses comprehensive and integrated services starting from the management of day-to-day operations of insurance and health technology systems to technical support services and consultations.

Improving patient outcomes

In Kuwait, on the other hand, to meet the needs of its rapidly expanding health sector, GE HealthCare has provided a wide range of the latest diagnostic imaging equipment and LifeCare Solutions. Last year alone, GE HealthCare equipped three new hospitals in Kuwait – the Maternity Hospital, multi-disciplinary Sabah Hospital and Farwaniya Hospital - with its powerful Imaging, Ultrasound, Patient Care Solutions, while also offering advanced software for these hospitals to manage patient medical records and make operations more efficient.

To support Iraq’s goal of providing life-saving care to the country’s most vulnerable population, GE HealthCare partnered with the Iraqi Ministry of Health (MOH) to build 22 Newborn Intensive Care Units (NICU) across the country. Under this partnership, each unit will be designed and developed to focus on providing much-needed attention to high-risk newborns, some with multiple medical conditions. More importantly, access will be improved across the country with each province in Iraq being served by an NICU, including three in the capital of Baghdad. 

As accelerations in the pace of technological change steer us into an era of precise, connected, and compassionate care, we have never witnessed such faster, more intelligent, or dynamic innovations sweeping the healthcare sector. Our portfolio of technologies and digital health solutions are today boosting the digital transformation of hospitals and health systems and creating value by driving better outcomes, both for patients and clinicians. 

In our journey forward, the patient will continue to be at the center of everything we do, as our innovations and collaborations make the practice of precision medicine a reality and help drive the future of health in the region.

Hady El Khoury is the Regional General Manager MENEAT for GE HealthCare.